Optical switch

Abstract

An optical switch includes an input port ( 200 ) having an input fiber ( 201 ), an output port ( 300 ) having a plurality of output fibers ( 301 ), a switching element ( 400 ), a driving device ( 500 ) and a base ( 600 ). The input port, the output port and the driving device are mounted on the base. The driving device can drive the switching element to rotate between a plurality of positions. As the switching element is rotated to a position, input light beams coming from the input fiber can be switched by the switching element to a corresponding output fiber.

1 . An optical switch comprising: 
 a first collimating lens aligning with an input fiber;    a second collimating lens aligning with a plurality of output fibers mounted in a multi-fiber ferrule;    a switching element being arranged between the first and second collimating lenses; and    a driving device driving the switching element to rotate to switch input light beams from the input fiber between different output fibers, the driving device comprising a cogwheel defining a through hole;    wherein the switching element is received and fixed in the through hole of the cogwheel and rotates together with the cogwheel.    
     
     
         2 . The optical switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the switching element can be a prism with two antiparallel surfaces.  
     
     
         3 . The optical switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the driving device further comprises a driving gear having a shaft and a driving gear wheel, the driving gear couples with the cogwheel.  
     
     
         4 . The optical switch as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising an actuator driving the shaft, which drives the driving gear wheel, which driving the cogwheel to rotate.  
     
     
         5 . The optical switch as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the cogwheel comprises a tubular axle and a gear wheel mounted on the tubular axle, the through hole is defined in the tubular axle.  
     
     
         6 . The optical switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the multi-fiber ferrule comprises a core, the multi-fiber ferrule defines a plurality of evenly-spaced grooves in an exterior surface of the core, and the plurality of output fibers are mounted in corresponding grooves.  
     
     
         7 . The optical switch as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the multi-fiber ferrule further comprises a sleeve surrounding the core to stably mount the output fibers in the grooves of the multi-fiber ferrule.  
     
     
         8 . The optical switch as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising a metal tube and a quartz sleeve, the quartz sleeve surrounding and fixing the multi-fiber ferrule and the second collimating lens therein, and metal tube surrounding and fixing the quartz sleeve therein.  
     
     
         9 . The optical switch as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a ferrule holding the input fiber therein.  
     
     
         10 . The optical switch as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a metal tube and a quartz sleeve, the quartz sleeve surrounding and fixing the ferrule and the first collimating lens therein, and metal tube surrounding and fixing the quartz sleeve therein.  
     
     
         11 .  10 . An optical switch for switching light beams between one input optical fiber and a plurality of output optical fibers, comprising: 
 a first collimator for aligning with the input optical fiber and collimating input light beams;    a second collimator for aligning with the output optical fibers and decollimating output light beams; and    a rotatable optical element arranged between the first and second collimators;    the rotatable optical element having a different refractive index from circumambient media and two antiparallel surfaces, which is rotatable among a plurality of positions; whereby, when the optical element is in different positions, the light beams from the input optical fiber are switched to reoperative different output optical fibers; wherein    the second collimator including a core supporting bared fibers and a coaxial support portion supporting jacketed fibers.